On the testing resource allocation problem: Research trends and perspectives

In testing a software application, a primary concern is how to effectively plan the assignment of resources available for testing to the software components so as to achieve a target goal under given constraints. In the literature, this is known as testing resources allocation problem (TRAP). Researchers spent a lot of effort to propose models for supporting test engineers in this task, and a variety of solutions exist to assess the best trade-off between testing time, cost and quality of delivered products. This article presents a systematic mapping study aimed at systematically exploring the TRAP research area in order to provide an overview on the type of research performed and on results currently available. A sample of 68 selected studies has been classified and analyzed according to defined dimensions. Results give an overview of the state of the art, provide guidance to improve practicability and allow outlining a set of directions for future research and applications of TRAP solutions.